Red Faction Diaries Part Three

This is my ongoing exploration of the Red Faction Universe. Whether you’re a newcomer or an old-goer, I hope to make this something you can read along with and enjoy. I begin with Red Faction.

Aiding the rebellion on Mars, Parker was on a first-name basis with the instigator Eos, who was asking for help. The mission -- to destroy the nearby geothermal power plant, which would allow her to send reinforcements to battle Ultor…

I headed for the machine which the sniper had been stood upon moments before, and pulled a lever. I had no idea what it would do, but also had no time to think about it as guards began peppering me with ammunition. I swiftly murdered them and left the big, yellow machine to continue doing absolutely nothing.

Firing at random, I took out the guards in the next hallway after they took out yet another miner in front of me, and was told by Eos that I had to stop the energy production facilities. This involved sabotaging five areas -- turbines, water control, water reclamation, lava control and the main controls.

I just said that!

Each area was clearly labeled, and required only a few rounds to be expended as I turned valves, destroyed machines and hit buttons. Finally, I found the main controls and was told by Eos to trust the guy inside. Together, we hit the buttons to disable the controls, which caused energy production to cease. I then had to make my escape via the submarine bay. At least that’s what I was told.

Freedom!

I went in and blasted through the wall into the control room, dropping the sub into the water. I had to reload my save when it exploded on contact, which I learned was due to the frames per second being too high. It appears Volition didn’t expect it to run at 110 fps…

It did have a lot more ammo before I took this screenshot...

In the sub, Eos told me that somewhere down there was Ultor’s underwater lab. Seemed she had another reason for me to ‘escape’ via the sub bay… I took out a couple of subs and a whale with what appeared to be psychic attacks, before entering the lab guns blazing.

I was told that I had to make my way to the administration area, and meet up with an operative who would give me a suit. It would help me in kidnapping Gryphon, a man who had answers to the plague sweeping through the miners.

I found the guy, “inconspicuously” still dressed in his mining suit like a red Master Chief. He gave me a tuxedo and took my guns, leaving me with a silenced pistol ‘just in case’.

"How did you even GET here?"

But everything would be fine, so long as I didn’t get too close to anyone. I found out why moments later, when I saw Wanted posters up about me. “In any condition”, and for $25,000: it had me a little worried.

From the condition of the poster, I can only assume they printed it the day Parker joined Ultor...

I begun to sneak around, avoiding everyone by at least five metres. I ducked into offices to avoid patrols, I avoided security cameras… But a guard made me for the miner in a monkey suit that I was.

You know... Space Monkey Suit...

Only able to use the silenced pistol, I took out any guards in my way as I legged it through the admin area and two elevators, finally locating Gryphon in his office. Where I held a gun to his head, despite him insisting he was happy to help.

People are always happy to help under threat of headshot

We left the office together and made an escape. Through one of the doors I found a mining suit, though I’m unsure whether or not it belonged to Parker. I put it on and gathered some weapons as we made our way through some checkpoints. Apparently they have no radios on Mars, as several checkpoints fell for the old ‘Hey it’s Gryphon and he’s alone!’ ruse.

Until they didn’t. We reached a checkpoint which opened fire on him, though he managed to get back to me without harm. Now I had to work out a way to get through this checkpoint, to deliver him to Eos...

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